Jason Robert Brown is responsible for one of my all time favourite musicals (Bridges of Madison County) and since falling for that show deeply with all my heart and soul, I’ve made it a mission of mine to acquaint myself with more of his work. Lockdown has been very good to me on this score: I’ve managed to see an amazing production of The Last Five Years starring Lauren Samuels & Danny Becker that I reviewed for BroadwayWorldUK (you can read that one here) and more recently, Lambert Jackson Productions introduced me proper to another of his works: Songs For A New World.

The piece was always one I knew of thanks to social media and word of mouth, but I’d never heard the songs or managed to see. Then, thanks to my choir it fell firmly on my radar as we have learned our arrangement of the opening number (on a related note it’s fun to sing but heck I’m out of breath by the end, always) and I was very keen to catch this version particularly thanks to the involvement of Rachel John and Ramin Karimloo, two musical stars I love admire already. They were joined by Cedric Neal, Rachel Tucker and a new graduate: Shem Omari James, for Brown’s piece exploring life, the choices we make and the moments that define us: all recorded entirely in isolation and cleverly edited together.

I’m a self confessed plot fiend, so admittedly this piece caught me off guard; as it’s a series of stand-alone songs linked only by a central theme: the moment of decision. There are four performers, all of whom play a variety of characters throughout the show, each with their own distinct stories and arcs: looking ahead, facing changes, reflecting on their lives. I found myself ensuring prior to the start of the stream that I had a song list handy with context just as a way in, but soon enough found myself able to connect with the songs emotionally even if I couldn’t directly relate. As a whole, it felt hugely powerful and topical: scenes were intercut with footage and voiceover from the Black Lives Matter protests, Windrush, and London’s West End, which as we know is still dark thanks to the pandemic. I thought this was hugely clever as it immediately brought the piece’s theme to a moment in time when choices and reflection have never been more relevant.As always with my growing experience of Brown’s work, I was overjoyed to hear a whole variety of influences within the score: there’s everything from pop, gospel, to jazz.

I’ll never forget one of the first occasions I saw Rachel John onstage. It was an evening in 2016, at the Dominion for The Bodyguard. At the performance in question, Rachel switched tracks from playing sister Nicki to the leading role of Rachel Marron midway through Act I when Beverley Knight was taken ill. Her performance quite took my breath away and I fell even harder for that incredible voice of hers. I was late to the Hamilton party so didn’t get to see her as Angelica (a fact that will now never cease being a regret), nor did I get to see her as Felicia in Memphis, and thus I’ve longed for more opportunities to support her. Here, she continued to astonish with her power and storytelling ability, having the score’s softer and more tender moments: her duet with Ramin Karimloo I’d Give It All For You where they play an estranged couple deciding to reunite, and I’m Not Afraid Of Anything, where a young woman reflects on the fears of her loved ones and how they have held her back were some of my highlights. Even in the numbers where all the company sang I found myself drawn to watching her because I truly got the impression she felt the music and the stories she was telling, and that really kept me engaged.

Speaking of Ramin, I took the purest and simplest joy just in watching him perform again (I’m a longtime fan and unfortunately it’s been way too long since I’ve been able to see him) but was reminded instantly of his easygoing charm, warmth and the power of his voice. Like Rachel, I marvelled at his storytelling ability and found myself so grateful for the snippets of these moments and characters he was giving me, including a man reflecting on the power a woman has over him in She Cries, and The World Was Dancing, where he describes how a father’s experience has impacted on his decisions.

“You Don’t Know Me, But You Will” begins The Steam Train, the finale of Act One. And enter new graduate, the phenomenal Shem Omari James. I can say with complete, unfaltering confidence that I know this sentiment will be true: Shem’s confidence and the energy he gave this song about a teenager boasting of his future as a basketball star and facing all the fears he has about his disadvantages was incredible and I look forward to seeing where his road leads!

Rachel Tucker showed wonderfully versatile and sometimes comedic chops in a whole host of roles, including a woman on the edge of her 57th story apartment’s balcony trying to get her neglectful husband’s attention, and as a scornful Mrs Claus! My favourite, though, was Stars and The Moon, where she reflects on past suitors and the life she now has with the wealthy man she chose to marry. Having only properly come to follow Rachel through her recent turn in Come From Away, I was delighted to have seen her play in a piece so different that really showcased another side of her.

If you follow my personal twitter, you’ll know that I spent a good majority of my viewing of this stream tweeting in awe of Cedric Neal. I vividly remember listening to the opening words of his On The Deck of A Spanish Sailing Ship 1492 with goosebumps and my jaw on the floor, a state that became a habit throughout the night: listening to him quite took my breath away and I was floored by how effortless he made his songs sound, solo & in company. I’d heard a lot about him from a friend who’s a huge fan and am grateful for his recent outing in Turn Up London that brought him into my life properly, because now after this, he has a new fan for life! I especially can’t wait to see him play Simon in the concert version of Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre this summer…

The piece ends with Hear My Song, a kind of lullaby as if to a child where the characters speak of hope thanks to times of hardship and the support they’ve had. That sentiment very much hit home right now, and I’m trying to carry it with me. I’m immensely grateful to the cast & creative team for a wonderfully moving chapter in my Jason Robert Brown quest.